Platform type shoe and method of making same



Mafch 30, 1948. 3 A; H. QUINN I 2,438,821

PLATFORM TYPE SHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed May 17, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 30, 1948. A. H. QUINN 2,438,321

PLATFORM TYPE SHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 7 Filed May 17, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 1948 2,438,821 PLATFORM 'rrrn snon AND METHOD or MAKING SAM Arthur H. Quinn, Dorchester, Mass., assignor to Universal Shoe Corporation, Sanford, Maine, a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 17, 1946, Serial No. 670,620

Claims. (Cl. 36-495) This invention relates to improvements in platform type shoes and method of making same.

More particularly it relates to shoes and slippers of the general type having a wrapped mid-sole or platform whose wrapper is stitched-to the upper.

Footwear of the mentioned general type is pro- .duced in large quantities by the so-called sliplasted process inwhich the upper is stitched to a sock-dining or the like while the upper is free of a last and a, last subsequentlyis slipped into the upper preparatory to attachment of a, midsoie and outsole. customarily the binding strip or wrapper for covering the edges of the mid-sole is stitched to the upper prior to insertion of a last therein so that it is in position to be turned over the edge of the mid-sole following slip-lasting of the upper.

However, the slip-lasted procedure involves problems and difilculties to effectively shape the toe and heel regions of footwear having either a closed-toe vamp or' a closed-heel counter. As a result of these problems and difliculties, particularly at the toe region, open toe shoes and slippers have come into wide use, the manufacturers thus having avoided to a large extent the problems involved without providing an effective and suitably economical solution. Yet there has continued a demand for closed-toe footwear of the general type herein discussed and the demand is a growing one as the novelty of the open-toe styles diminishes.

Hence, it is an object of my present invention to provide an improved method of making closedtoe footwear of the platform or mid-sole types whereby an upper, a mid-sole binding wrapper and a sock-lining more effectively and economically may be combined and stitched together, excepting the toe region, prior to slip-lasting of the upper, and the toe portion of the upper, following slip-lasting of the upper, may be effectively and economically lasted on a conventional bed-lasting machine. I provide-means on 2 which has been stitched to the upper around the toe region.

Another object is to provide an improved method of making closed-toe footwear of the mid-sole types whereby an upper and a sock-lining are stitched together, leaving the upper free of the sock-lining at the toe region, and a last subsequently is slipped into the pre-stitched unit without restraint by the un-stitched toe portion of the upper, there being ameans at the toe portion of the sock-lining on its outer face facilitating accurate positioning and temporary securement of the pre-stitched unit on the last and constituting a reinforcement on the sock-lining to which a lasting allowance on the toe region of the uppersubsequently is secured as a result of a regular lasting of the toe portion of the upper.

Yet another object is to provide an improved closed-toe article of footwear of the mid-sole type wherein an upper, a sock-lining and a midsole binding wrapper are stitched together with the upper and sock-lining free of each other at the toe region and with the binding wrapper stitched only to the upper around said toe rcglo n, said stitched unit being slip-lasted and the toe portion of the upper being regularly lasted with a lasting allowance thereon laid over upon and cemented to a reinforcing toe piece on the outer face of the sock-lining.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve the structure and the method of producing mid-sole types of footwear and more especially such footwear having closed-toe uppers.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a shoe embodying features of the invention and made in accordance with the method of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the upper of the shoe of Fig. 1 prior to its attachment to the sock-lining;

Fig. 3 is a top planview of the sock-lining;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the upper, sock-lining and mid-sole binding wrapper stitched'together; v

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the stitched unit of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the unit of Figs. 4 and 5 but with a. toe reinforcement shown in place on the sock-lining;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the forepart of the unit of Fig. 6 showing the unit with a last therein, the reinforced socklining temporarily secured in proper position on the last, and the toe portion of the upper lasted over upon and cemented to the reinforced socklining;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig.7;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal medial cross-sectional view showing the mid-sole wrapper turned over the edges of a mid-sole and cemented to the margin of the outer face thereof; and

Fig. is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through one side of the vamp.

Referring to the drawings, the shoe upper I0 may be considered representative of closed-toe shoe uppers in general whether or not the rear part is provided with a counter extending around the back of the shoe or is open at l2 as shown, The upper as illustrated, for reasons of economy. is made in three parts which are stitched at I4 and Hi to provide the composite upper as best seen in Fig. 2, including the cross-strap or flap l8 integral with one side of the vamp and having its outer end stitched to the opposite side 'of the vamp as at 20. The stitching at 20 may be done before the upper is combined with a sock-lining or at any desired subsequent time 7 during manufacture of the shoe or may be delayed until the shoe in all other respects has been completed.

The upper ID of Fig. 2 is stitched to a socklining 22 as best seen in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 but, according to'the invention, the toe portion of the upper is not stitched to the sock-lining thereby leaving this toe portion initially unsecured which facilitates insertion of a last in the stitched unit. However, before the stitched unit is slip-lasted, a mid-sole binding wrapper 24 is stitched to the upper all around the extent of the upper. The I wrapper may be stitched in place at the time the upper and sock-lining are stitched together, and by the same stitches, or the wrapper 24 may be and preferably is stitched in place after the upper and sock-lining have been stitched together. In any case, the wrapper extends around the toe portion of the upper and is stitched thereto around this region where the upper is free of the sock-lining. The wrapper 24 may be a single strip but, for convenience, is herein shown in two parts-24', 24" of which one extends around the vamp and the other extends around the rear portion of the shoe, with slight overlapping of ends at the regions of juncture. If desired, the part 24' of the wrapper extending around the vamp may be applied and stitched at one stage of assembly and the part 24" extending around the rear portion may be applied and stitched at a later stage. In the open-back lowance ill with the shoulders 23 of .the socklining. This ensures that a vproperly cut upper will be accurately associated with a properly cut sock-lining for. the stitching operation, which may be accomplished in a well known manner.

If the mid-sole wrapper 24 is to be applied after stitching of the upper to the sock-lining, which is the preferred procedure, the portion 24' thereof will first be laid and stitched around the forepart with the stitches extending through the wrapper, upper and sock-lining excepting around the toe where the wrapper is stitched only to the upper, with the lasting allowance l0 projecting well below or beyond the stitched wrapper. The portion 24" of the wrapper at the rear may be stitched in place at the time part 24' is stitched, or subsequently thereto, being stitched only to the sock-lining at open regions.

After the wrapper 24 is in place, the prestitched unit is ready to be slip-lasted, and it is a feature of the invention that the last easily and quickly may be inserted in the unit because the toe region of the upper is not stitched to the sock-lining around the toe. Another'feature is that a relatively stiff and tough reinforcing piece 26 is cemented to the outer face of the sock-lining at the latters toe region. The reinforcement may be of leather, composition material or any other suitable material. It may be cemented to the sock-lining before slip-lasting of the upper but preferably is applied and cemented after a last has been inserted in the upper so that the sock-lining will be firmly backed by the last when the attaching pressure is applied to the reinforcing piece 26. Thereinforcement nicely fits the contour of the sock-. lining at the toe region 22' thereof and facilitates adjustment of the slip-lasted upper on the last to bring the toe contour of the sock-lining into precise registration with the toe contour of the under surface of the last, after which the shoe illustrated, the part 24" of the wrapper is stitched only to the sock-lining at the openback.

Referring to Fig. 3, the sock-lining 22 is a little over-size throughout its main extent but is sized around its toe portion 22' to accurately register with the bottom of a last which is to be inserted in the pro-stitched upper. This precise sizing at the toe portion of the sock-lining provides shoulders 23 which constitute convenient guides for a parts may be temporarily secured as by tacks 28 driven through the reinforcing piece 26 and into the last. 7

The shoe is now ready for lasting of the toe portion of the upper which conveniently may be accomplished with a conventional bed-lastin machine which turns the lasting allowance Ill over upon the reinforcing piece 26, cement being applied as needed to effectively secure the turned over portions III, after which the tacks 28 may be removed, a mid-sole or comparable element 30 applied, the wrapper 24 turned over its edges and secured as by cement, and finally an'outsole member 32 is applied to the wrapped mid-sole, with cement or the like maintaining it in place.

It will be obvious that I have provided an effective and economical procedure for making closed-toe footwear of the wrapped mid-sole type, and have provided an improved closed-toe structure. It should be understood, however, that my improved method and structure may beused with advantage at the rear of a shoe or slipper, in which case the rear portion of the upper would have a lasting allowance thereon comparable to the lasting allowance ill at the toe portion, and the wrapper 24" would be stitched only to the upper around the rear part. The assembling procedure would be similar to what has been described in connection with the illustrated closedtoe shoe.

Also the invention is not limited to having a single mid-sole element. Rather the wrapping strips may be such as to cover superimposed midsoie elements, including heel elements or lifts.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of making an article of footwear comprising providing an upper having a lasting allowance only on the toe portion of the upper, stitching the upper to a sock-lining rearward of said toe portion leaving the upper and sock-liningiree of each other around said toe portion, stitching a mid-sole binding wrapper to the upper throughout the extent of the upper including the toe portion thereof which is free of the sock-lining, inserting a last in the stitched unit and adjusting .the un-stitched toe end of the sock-lining into register with the toe contour of the last thereby to accurately position the stitched unit on the last, temporarily securing the socklining to the last in said adjusted position, lasting the toe portion of the upper, followed by applying a mid-sole and wrapping its edge with said binding wrapper, and then applying an outsole to the mid-sole.

2. The method of making an article of footwear comprising providing an upper having a lasting allowance only on the toe portion thereof, providing a sock-lining having edge indications determining a predetermined extent of sock-lining' edge around the toe region thereof,'arranging the upper and sock-lining with their edges at one side together and with a said sock-lining indication registering with one extremity of said lasting allowance on the upper, stitching the sock-lining and upper together rearward of said registering indication, repeating the same operations at the other side of the upper and socklining, arranging a wrapping strip on the upper and stitching it to the upper and sock-lining rearward of said registering indication and to only the upper around the toe region of the upper, inserting a last in the upper, temporarily securing the toe region of the sock-lining in register with the toe contour of the last, followed by lasting the toe portion of the upper, applying a mid-sole, wrapping the edges of the mid-sole lasting allowance only on the toe portion thereof, stitching the upper to a sock-lining rearward of said lasting allowance and at each side of the article, stitching a wrapper strip only to the upper around the toe portion of the upper and to the upper and sock-lining rearward of said lasting allowance on the upper, inserting a last in the pre-stitched unit, applying a reinforcing element to the toe region of the sock-lining and temporarily securing it and the sock-lining in register with the toe contour of the last, lasting the toe portion'of the upper, applying a mid-sole element and turning the wrapper strip over its edges, and applying an outsole element to the mid-sole element.

4. An article of footwear comprising an upper and a sock-lining stitched together excepting around the toe portions thereof, the toe portion of the upper being lasted with a lasting allowthereof and stitched to both the upper and the sock-lining rearward of said toe portion, a midregion and the upper has a lasting allowance onlyat its toe region, said upper being stitched to the sock-lining and lasted rearward of its toe region, and the toe portion of the upper being lasted with its said lasting allowance laid over upon and cemented to said reinforced toe portion of the sock-lining, a wrapper strip stitched only to the upper around the toe region thereof and stitched to both the upper and the sock-lining rearward of the toe region, a mid-sole element superimposed on the sock-lining, said wrapping strip being turned over the edges of the mid-sole element and cemented to its outer margin. and an outsole element superimposed on the mid-sole element and secured thereto. j

ARTHUR H. QUINN. 

